Weight Management

Dieting Math

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Just finished reading an article suggesting 90/10 eating for weight loss. Ninety percent of the time you adhere to a “diet” and the other 10% you eat what you want. Last year, I think it was 80/20 and the year before that was 5:2. As in days.

I hope it’s not just my advancing age but more of my wisdom when I say, “Those are BAD PLANS!”

They all reinforce going “on a diet” and then “cheating.” Restriction and deprivation and then overeating or splurging.

And, please, how are you going to do the 90/10 calculation? Are you going to eat 9 healthy foods and one that’s not? Are you going to count up to 90 healthy calories and 10 not-so-good for you?

How long are you going to stay on a diet? What’s the general success rate of weight loss diets? What happens after you lose the weight?

Wouldn’t it make more sense to consider what you routinely eat and like? And then take a single step: reduce portions. A calorie deficit is what it takes to lose weight. Wouldn’t changing a double cheeseburger to a single cheeseburger leave you satisfied and not feeling like you’re on a diet?

With a plan to downsize your portions, weight loss can be accomplished fairly painlessly. Of course a second step would be nice. How can you modify the foods that you like so that they’re healthier? But, why not take a sane first step?

Move to a smaller dinner plate. Portion BEFORE you cook. Avoid eating directly from a package or container.

Slow down your eating rate so you can enjoy what you’re eating 100% of the time to be well.

Marcia

 

 

 

Permanent link to this article: http://marciacrawford.net/archives/dieting-math

Peganism

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Well, autocorrect is freaking out, but that’s how it’s spelled: Peganism.

It’s the relatively new marriage between the paleo diet and veganism to promote weight loss. Will the marriage last? At least until the wind blows to the next trend, clever moniker or movement.

The paleo diet (AKA the caveman diet) has many permutations, but it will be laden with lean animal proteins – beef, pork, lamb, chicken, eggs, fish. Nuts, seeds, oils, fruits and vegetables are included. You wonder if “caveman diet” wasn’t a big seller since cavemen and women had pretty short lifespans. But I digress.

Paleo restrictions include all grains, all dairy, all beans and legumes in addition to highly processed foods and iodized salt. Often you see the recommendation that you’ll need a vitamin-mineral supplement along with the diet – always a sign that the diet is not balanced.

The vegan diet shuns all animal foods and products and, as such, is 100% plant-based.

Does the union sound like it’s off to a shaky start? I think I’d need a cheat sheet to see what I could or could not eat if I were a Pegan. The science looks a bit sparse on all the claims so we might want to consider that too.

Could we stop with the crazy names and restrictions? Or should we make up our own? No need to buy the next diet book. Let’s go on the LiPPPS diet.

Eat and enjoy food that I LiKE. Always use a PLATE. Always control PORTIONS. Include more PLANTS. SIT while enjoying any food or snack. That doesn’t sound too hard, does it? Who’s with me to be well?

Marcia

 

 

 

Permanent link to this article: http://marciacrawford.net/archives/peganism

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